Wondrous Strange

enjoying himself.

Tyff glared at the Janus. “My senses have obviously been blunted by this world. I have been out of the loop for”-she counted on her fingers-“almost fifteen hundred years, you know!”

“Ah.” Sonny nodded, almost feeling sympathetic. “I forget the story. You were, what, banished, was it?”

“In a manner of speaking.” Tyff sulked. “But it wasn’t supposed to be permanent. I was supposed to be allowed back. After I had…‘served time.’ And then what happens? Your stupid boss goes and shuts all the doors.”

“You could have tried to get back,” Sonny said. “Made a run for it one Samhain.”

“And risk running into one of you bloodthirsty maniacs? Thank you, no.”

“What did you do to get banished in the first place?” Kelley asked, fascinated.

“Ask that Sir Lancelot creep,” Tyffanwy snapped. “Wait-no, don’t. It was complicated.” She waved the matter away with a manicured hand.

“Ookay there, Tyffanwy…” Kelley threw her hands in the air. “Is there anyone I know who is actually a normal, non-freaky, plain old vanilla-flavored human?”

“I’m sure that one or two of your actor friends are borderline normal,” Tyff answered, her tone doubting the assertion.

“They’re actors,” Kelley said. “They’re not even close to normal. And anyway, one of them is actually Puck. Apparently.”

“What?” Tyff’s eyebrows shot toward her hairline. “The Goodfellow? Oh, super. Listen, you keep that miserable boucca away from the apartment, or I will not be held responsible for my actions.”

Sonny smirked. “What, did he stand you up for a date once?”

“Shut up.” Tyff scowled at him. “Just what are you doing here, anyway?”

“I’ve come to take Kelley somewhere safe,” he said. “And after that, I’ll be back to take the kelpie.”

“Over my dead, shapely body,” the Faerie sneered.

“I mean him no harm. But I have to return him to the Otherworld.” He told Tyffanwy about the Wild Hunt and watched her complexion drain to porcelain.

“Well. I think it’s safe to say that, in my absence, the power grabbing and backstabbing and political intrigue has officially reached an all-time Otherworld high,” Tyff said, rigid with anger. “This goes beyond bickering.”

“It does,” Sonny agreed. “Far beyond.”

“I hate the Courts!” she spat. “Why can’t they just leave off with all the stupid homicidal meddling?”

“I wish I knew,” Sonny sympathized. He understood only too well. No doubt Tyffanwy had experienced the fear and hatred of his lord’s realm and its people in much the same way that he had been made to fear and hate hers. He considered that for a moment and thought that perhaps, just this once, they could put aside those differences and work as allies. Maybe she would help him.

Or, more likely, maybe she would help Kelley.

Sonny suggested a plan.

“You want me to do what?”

“Just get all the charms unknotted from Lucky’s mane and tail,” Sonny pleaded.

Tyff crossed her arms and pegged him with a pointed, icy stare. “They’re tied in with elf-knots. Do you have any idea how long that will take?”

“Tyff-”

“Days, Janus. I have a social life to maintain, you know. I have a date with an ambassador and you want me to cancel it so I can sit alone in this apartment, performing an equine comb-out.”

“Tyffanwy…please? Once I get Kelley to the safe house and secure protection for her, I don’t know how much time I will have left until Samhain falls.”

“That’s three nights from now!”

“I’m taking her to the Green, and time is tricky there. You know that.”

“How many of the damned things are there, anyway?”

Sonny thought he could hear a note of relenting in Tyff’s voice and he pressed on. “I asked Cait-one of the other Janus-about the enchantment. She knows her magicks and she figures that there should be nine times nine talismans. Eighty-one all together. I have three of them. Which means that there should be seventy-eight stones left.”

“Can’t you just rip them out? Like the ones you found at the Lake?” Kelley asked.

“I tend to think Lucky would react poorly to that, don’t you? Mild-mannered he might be, but one well-placed kick from those hooves could be deadly.”

“What about cutting them out?” she asked.

“Can’t.” Tyff’s voice was flat. “’Cause that would be cheating. Right, Janus?”

“Tyffawny’s right, Kelley. Magick like this tends to react poorly-dangerously-if one tries to…well, cheat. There aren’t really any shortcuts-our only hope is to untie all the knots. The spell has to be completely unraveled, or there is still the chance it will remain potent.” He turned again to Tyff.

“I hate you.” Tyff glared at him.

“And?” Kelley demanded anxiously from where she’d sat silently on the couch, listening to the negotiations. “If all of the talismans are removed?”

Sonny looked at her. “Then he should pose no threat of becoming the Roan Horse of the Hunt.”

“He’ll just revert to a normal, garden-variety kelpie.” Kelley was skeptical.

“Like I told you, I don’t think Lucky is very normal, as far as kelpie go.” Sonny smiled at her. “In fact, your Lucky is the sweetest-tempered monster I’ve ever encountered. I think some of your nature must have imprinted on him when you rescued him, Kelley.”

Kelley looked at him. “Did you just call me sweet?”

“Maybe…”

“Oh, get a room, you two,” Tyff said, disgusted, and went to the cupboard in the bathroom. She pulled a large- toothed comb and several brushes out of a basket.

“Thank you, Lady Tyffanwy,” Sonny said with genuine gratitude and respect, relief flooding his chest. He would have time. Kelley would be safe, he could return Lucky to the Otherworld without fear, and the Wild Hunt would slumber on.

“I hate you, Sonny Flannery,” Tyffanwy said.

“Just remember to keep his hooves wet. At least until all the charms are untied.”

“Hate you.”

“All of them-the ones in his tail, too. Seventy-eight in all. And I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he promised. “Kelley…” Sonny turned to her. “You should go get ready so we can leave.”

“What? Where?” Kelley blinked, startled.

“Out,” he answered. “If you’re all right with that.”

“But it’s almost sunset. Aren’t you…you know, on duty?”

“I was curious about that too, Janus,” Tyff said over her shoulder as she sat on the side of the tub, worrying away at a knot. “It is the middle of the Nine-Night, after all. Aren’t you a little too busy to be going on a date?”

Beside him Kelley stiffened and made a little squawking noise.

“I told you, I’m taking her to the Green, so I’ll be within the boundaries of the Gate,” Sonny said. “I’ll still be ‘on duty.’”

“I can’t believe you want to take her to Central Park,” Tyff said, “tonight.”

“She’ll be safe with me.”

“You hope.” Tyff gave Sonny a long, appraising look and seemed to be coming to a decision about him.

“Kelley?” Sonny said to her, ignoring Tyff’s critical eye. “Why don’t you go get dressed?”

“Make it something nice,” Tyff said, turning back to Lucky. “Wait-never mind-you don’t have anything nice.” She put the comb down. “I’ll get you something of mine.”